The problem is the us small people have to pay for products produced by over paid union workers. Living on minimum wage is beyond a struggle. I don't begrudge the unions their wage but it drives up prices so those who are not in a union can't afford the products they make. It is a bit of a catch 22. As in the case of GM, nobody wants their products because the price is inflated for the quality. Unions need to cut back some while minimum wage needs to go up some so there is more of a balance.
How has the Economy treated you ?
- Thread starter Francis2004
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You're a wise man Cliff, but if the Union workers (and I think many of them would as they are mainly decent people) agreed to a cut in pay to help out the less fortunate, the Union executives would be screaming blue bloody murder because their fat cat positions would be at risk and very few of THEM would have either the brains or the inclination to find another plum job.
Indeed I am lucky to live in an area where house prices are cheap, VanIsle. A comparable lakefront house or condo in Toronto would probably go for around a million dollars (or at least it used to, I don’t know if the prices have come down now).
Where we live, there is just a small road in front of our house and right after that there is the lake front. As far as size goes, ours is the average four bedroom (three bathroom) house. I actually was looking for a smaller house (how much space do two persons need?), but there were no smaller houses to be had.
That's true here (in the U.S.) too. But, my question would be:
1. Does each province determine its own tax rate?
2. Do you have anything like counties, as we do?
3. Do you have a Robin Hood law?
4. Does your federal government supplement the province taxation for schools?
Uncle
Guys like Gore can afford to buy the best electric vehicle available and should not really be leaving a hint of a print.
It is not that simple, VanIsle. Where are you going to charge the electrical car? What we need is charging stations, comparable to the gas stations we currently have. Somebody was telling me that an entrepreneur in Israel is thinking of starting just such electric charging stations all over Israel.
It can be tried out in a small country like Israel to see how it works, before it can be introduced in USA.
There are some things a rich person like Gore can do to reduce carbon footprint (and getting rid of zinc mines as EagleSmack said isn’t one of them, somebody has to mine zinc). That would be buying hybrid cars, install solar panels on his house (depending upon where he lives etc.). I am not sure how much of such measures Gore has taken. Unless that is known, it is simply political partisanship to accuse him of not doing enough to reduce his carbon footprint. How does his footprint compare with others of his economic class? That I the important question.
It is not that simple, VanIsle. Where are you going to charge the electrical car? What we need is charging stations, comparable to the gas stations we currently have. Somebody was telling me that an entrepreneur in Israel is thinking of starting just such electric charging stations all over Israel.
It can be tried out in a small country like Israel to see how it works, before it can be introduced in USA.
There are some things a rich person like Gore can do to reduce carbon footprint (and getting rid of zinc mines as EagleSmack said isn’t one of them, somebody has to mine zinc). That would be buying hybrid cars, install solar panels on his house (depending upon where he lives etc.). I am not sure how much of such measures Gore has taken. Unless that is known, it is simply political partisanship to accuse him of not doing enough to reduce his carbon footprint. How does his footprint compare with others of his economic class? That I the important question.
- Does each province determine its own tax rate?
When it comes to property taxes, each municipality decides its property taxes. You may pay one tax on your house, somebody across the street may pay a totally different amount, if he lives in a different municipality.
- Do you have anything like counties, as we do?
Yes.
- Do you have a Robin Hood law?
I think we do.
- Does your federal government supplement the province taxation for schools?
I don’t think so, I think schools are totally the responsibility of individual provinces.
The amount of tax is in direct proportion to the assessed value of your house multiplied by the mill rate and the mill rate is decided by the fat cats who run city hall depending upon their aspirations for the city (municipality, whatever) So if you want lower taxes elect down to earth people who have mainly worked for a living, like a janitor or window cleaner.
Now, what gave you the idea that I am interested in lower taxes? I am quite happy to pay my share, I want services in return, such as prompt snow removal, filling up the pot holes in the road etc.
And at least on our street they are quite prompt at maintenance of every kind. When we wanted to buy the house, we came to look at the house in February. We sat chatting with the owner (it turned out that he belonged to the same outdoor club that I did). It was snowing rather heavily. While we were chatting (for one hour), the snow plough went by three times, clearing the road.
That told me that at least on that road, city was very prompt in clearing the snow. They are also prompt in filling the pot holes etc. There used to form puddles in front of our driveway whenever it rained. Without us saying anything about it, the city plugged up the holes, filled them up with gravel so that the puddles don’t form any more.
I would much rather pay high taxes and get excellent service in return, rather than pay very little taxes and receive no service in return.
Indeed, one of our friend lives in a small village with low taxes. He tells us that the first time it snows, the village municipality sends in the snow plough, they scrape the surface off the road. Then their snow removal budget is exhausted and the rest of the winter there is no snow clearing. Also they don’t have street lights in his village.
That kind of living is not for me.
Yep, services like SOME of the ones you mentioned are good, OTHERS I can do for myself, but what I hate the most is the money that goes to pencil pushing bureaucrats sitting behind desks, pulling in huge salaries. Most bureaucrats should draw minimum wage. Some bureaucrats can be combined, like the boss can do the payroll (he has to check it anyway)
Actually I think you would, it would mean making eating at restaurants a higher priority and you may not do it quite as often, but at any rate that just goes to solidify my argument, no only would everyone in one organization wan't more pay but in all organizations.
I don't believe you SJp.
I purchased our house 31/2 years ago for 325,000.00
property taxes were higher last year than this.1600 plus change
this year 1500 plus change.
I think you should do some research about municiple tax rates befor you make up your next story.
Even if your property value quadripled in 5 years taxes should be nowhere near 6000.00.
And why are you paying more this year than last.
You must be the only person in the country whose house went up in value.
I purchased our house 31/2 years ago for 325,000.00
property taxes were higher last year than this.1600 plus change
this year 1500 plus change.
I think you should do some research about municiple tax rates befor you make up your next story.
Even if your property value quadripled in 5 years taxes should be nowhere near 6000.00.
And why are you paying more this year than last.
You must be the only person in the country whose house went up in value.
The rest got answered so I will have a crack at the school question.
Schools and university's (non private) are a provincial responsibility.
Block funding goes to the cities and municipalities for funding.
I believe the province has final approval on all facilities.
Sometimes the cities and municipalities will try and shift some other infrastructure funding to repair or maintain the more run-down schools.
And of course the schools lack of resources forces the kids to go after their friends,family and community for funding for anything optional or recreational.
Most if not all research funding is Fed for the University's and Colleges apart from charitable donations or private(for profit) research.
I think
Trex
The economy in Alberta may be slow for me but I just got called to go be on the wildfire lines in Kananaskis country tommorow.
I knew that wildfire training would pay off some day.
I knew that wildfire training would pay off some day.
Now they want training? When I was a punk kid sitting in Nakusp having beer and hitting on a waitress, the cops came in the pub and said "get on the bus or go to jail until the fire is out" take your pick. I spent the next 4 days making sure a pump never ran out of gas.
I made $800, picked up my car and the waitress and carried on to Kelowna.
Ya,now you have to go through the one day wildfire course to work on one in Alberta but I do remember those days when they hit the bars recruiting.:angryfire:
We have had about 3 inche's of rain since yesterday though so i'm back home as we were released last night from man up/standby,just a small crew,3 lowboys and drivers and 3 cats with skinners(me) and a cat boss.
The helitack crews will stay standby in case of any lightning strikes but it looks good for no fires in the kananaskis for a week or so.
Pretty cool though,relaxing in the hotel,watching the weather underground website's satellite view on my laptop,watching the lightning go through and seeing the fires posted on the site when the satellites picked them up.